


Names

by DefiantDreams



Series: Love is a Choice [2]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon Compliant, Demisexuality, Gen, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 05:13:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10073615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefiantDreams/pseuds/DefiantDreams
Summary: Yuuri has five Names.One on his nape: พิชิตAnother going down his left side: ソラOne underneath his right pectoral: AcelAnother on the sole of his right foot: ЮрийAnd his personal favorite: Виктор, right at the curve of his left hip.[Do we really only have one, singular soulmate? Out of 7.2 billion people in the world, how can there only be one person for you? No, instead, there are several people who are right for you at any given time and in many different ways, and there are some who are just more right for you than others.A trilogy on worlds where soulmate identifiers change,worlds where people have multiple soulmate identifiersand worlds where soulmate marks change as you do.]





	

Yuuri has five Names.

One on his nape: พิชิต

Another going down his left side: ソラ

One underneath his right pectoral: _Acel_

Another on the sole of his right foot: Юрий

And his personal favorite: Виктор, right at the curve of his left hip.

Statistics say that everyone in the world has around 4 Names in average. (At least Yuuri is above average in one thing). There are some people of course, that have 2 or 3—even people who have 1 but Yuuri can’t imagine, can’t even bear the thought of just having one Name. The chances of meeting one of your Names was small, and he can’t wrap his mind around the thought of only having one Name. Less Names meant less of a chance of meeting a soulmate. He’s heard of people who’ve had more than him before too, 6 or more, and he still can’t decide if they’re luckier for it or not.

Statistics also say that you’ll meet at least _one_ of your soulmates in your course of life and really, no one’s expecting to meet all 3 or 4 or 5 Names, despite how nice the thought is. It’s unrealistic. There _were_ some people who’ve been lucky enough to meet multiple soulmates but so far in recorded history, no one’s ever met all of their Names. Yuuri always thought he’d be average in that aspect too, meeting one of his soulmates already seemed amazing and beautiful to him. He’d be pleased at even meeting one of them. It would be enough.

How could it not be? The thought of at least one person being able to accept him for he was, someone who’d love him no matter what—he doesn’t know what he’d do with _five_ people who’d love him like that. He wouldn’t even mind if the one person—or more—that he meets ends up being a platonic soulmate. He’s never really been interested in sex anyway but if it was with a soulmate… maybe he’d consider.

There’s statistics on Names of course, but Names still aren’t an exact science. Plenty of people’s Names ended up just being platonic, some even being siblings or a parent or another relative. There were also plenty of people who ended up marrying one of their Names, and people who were rivals or hated one of their Names. There were people who had Names of people twice their age and people so much younger than them. There were people who had Names of long time friends or lovers and people who had Names of people they met in passing and still somehow changed their life in some way.

Here are the things Yuuri have said about his Names when confronted:

_“Haha, yeah, I haven’t met any of them yet.”_

_“I don’t mind if some of my names are boys.”_

_“Just because I have his name that doesn’t mean it means him! It could be a whole different Russian Виктор, who knows!”_

Here are the things people have said about his Names when they first see them:

_“Wow, your son looks like he’ll be well travelled!”_

_“It’s a shame, what are the chances of you meeting them?”_

_“Юрий means Yuri… Haha, I can’t believe you have your own name.”_

_“เฮ้… Oh my god, that’s my name.”_

Well, Phichit’s the only one who has said the last line but it still counts.

He’s never tried to hide the พิชิต on his nape and he knows that his (small number of) fans know it. It’s common knowledge by now, and it’s his only confirmed Name to the public. By the time he thought of covering it up, the pictures and videos of him in his early Junior days were already taken and posted online and there was nothing he could do about it. It’s only his fans that care anyway. So by the time him and Phichit actually meet when he’s 21 years old and Phichit’s 18, he doesn’t even _dare_ to stop Phichit from posting a picture of their matching Names on SNS. He’s only known Phichit for a day and he already knew not to get between his friend and SNS. 

Besides, there are plenty of other skaters who don’t cover up their names. 

In fact, Christophe Giacometti, one of Yuuri’s not-quite-acquaintance yet not-quite-friend, puts mesh panels over his Names in _all_ of his costumes. If not mesh, then clear slits or cut-outs in his already revealing costumes. He displays his three names proudly like badges of honor, the black of 益実, Francis, and Philippe stark against his tanned skin. Yuuri would think it was a European thing if Viktor didn’t do the exact opposite and covered up all of his Names.

(No, he’s not disappointed, just curious.)

Yuuri’s other Names, they’re in just the right spots to not be visible in public unless Yuuri takes his shirt or his shoes off. (Which happens more often than Yuuri thinks, but, well, he doesn’t remember it anyway the next morning.)

He doesn’t make a huge effort to hide it, there’s no point, but he does make sure they aren’t seen when there’s any chance he’ll be photographed, and he’s lucky in the sense that as long as he keeps his shirt on, all of his Names except Phichit’s are covered. With so many Names, how can someone make the effort to hide all of them? The only ones who really made the effort to hide their Names were celebrities, politicians or other famous people in the spotlight and unfortunately, Yuuri was somewhat but not really counted in that category due to his fans. But otherwise, Names are such a normal thing. _Everybody_ has them. It doesn’t mean anything unless you Match. Heck, here in America, people actually _ask_ about your Names. True, the first time it happened, Yuuri was scandalized and shocked at the blatant invasion of privacy but he’s used to it now. It’s not like Names are secret or shameful in Japan, it was just common courtesy not to point it out or ask about it.

The only Name that he tries not to let others see is the Виктор on his hip. It’s not that Yuuri’s embarrassed or ashamed of it, it’s just that the people he hangs out with (aka figure skaters) always assume that it’s Viktor _Nikiforov_ and Yuuri knows enough about himself to know that can’t be possible. He’s gone through enough of skaters volunteering to introduce them before he resolutely decides to leave it out when asked about his Names.

Heck, even _Chris_ has offered to introduce Yuuri to Viktor that one time they bumped into each other during Yuuri’s Senior debut season when he was 18 and Chris was 20.

It was during Skate America, Yuuri’s second qualifying competition. He had finished with a decent 4th place—not enough to get into the Grand Prix Finals after his bronze in Tropheé de France, but not that bad either. It’s rare to qualify for the finals during your debut and Yuuri had still medalled so it was okay.

Chris had approached Yuuri after the free skate in the locker rooms, looking uncharacteristically nervous. He wasn’t at the point yet where all of his costumes revealed his Names, and the shirtless selfies he uploaded on Instagram always had his Names artfully covered in one way or another.

Yuuri clearly remembers Chris pulling him aside and for a moment, he was afraid that Chris was going to try to make out with him or something because the Swiss man is _notorious_ for his sexcapades, honestly. It doesn’t help that the first thing Chris did is unzip his red and white training jacket.

 

> “Chris!” Yuuri squeaks out, his hands flying out to stop Chris from unzipping his jacket even further.
> 
> Chris gives him a blank look and then his green doe eyes fill with realization and shock.
> 
> “Oh no, I’m sorry, I just wanted to ask you something,” Chris winks and Yuuri blushes bright red. Chris bats Yuuri’s hands away and pulls his jacket down farther until his bare chest is exposed. Yuuri’s eyes widen and he averts his eyes automatically as Chris pulls his jacket to the side and—kanji? Yuuri can’t stop his eyes from going back to the black mark on Chris’ chest, surprised at seeing his own language.
> 
> “I, well, I tried using google translate but it just shows up as ‘profitable’ or whatever, so I was hoping you could tell me how to pronounce it?” Chris asks softly and Yuuri’s gaze goes back to meet Chris’. The older man flutters his eyelashes and pouts slightly before he motions down to his chest with his chin and Yuuri looks down.
> 
> There, right on his sternum, was a bold 益実. Yuuri releases the breath he didn’t even know he was holding and he looks up and smiles at Chris.
> 
> “It’s pronounced Masumi,” he says softly and Chris sighs, a pleased smile curving his lips.
> 
> “Masumi,” Chris repeats and then nods slightly. “Sexy name,” he says seriously and Yuuri chokes before he coughs. Chris pats his shoulder and tilts his head at him in amusement.
> 
> “My other Names are Francis and Philippe,” Chris offers as he unzips his jacket even further and Yuuri tenses slightly at the ease Chris volunteers his Names. Chris proceeds to point out the Francis on his left side, right where Yuuri’s own ソラ is, and the Philippe going down his right side. Yuuri stares at his Names, unsure of how to react. It’s been a few months since he’s moved to Detroit, and the easy way Westerners tell people their Names still shocks him. 
> 
> Maybe it’s the expectant way Chris is looking at him, maybe it’s how nervous Yuuri is that he’s not really thinking straight or maybe it’s his need to fit in. Whatever it is, it’s enough to make him first show Chris the Thai on his nape.
> 
> “It means conquer, but it’s pronounced Phichit, I think?” Yuuri says, blushing bright red. 
> 
> He lifts his shirt to show the Name below his right pectoral, “Acel.”
> 
> He twists slightly and shows the katakana going down his left side, “Sora.”
> 
> He frowns at his feet before he motions down to it and says, kind of embarrassed, “Yuri.” Chris’ eyebrows shoot up in amusement and Yuuri just _knows_ he’s struggling not to laugh but Yuuri pushes past it.
> 
> Yuuri pauses and hesitates for a moment before he pulls his pants down slightly, just enough to reveal the Name on his left hip, “And Viktor.”
> 
> Chris’s eyebrows lift and before he even opens his mouth, Yuuri already knows what he’s going to say.
> 
> “Have you met Viktor Nikiforov?” he asks and Yuuri squeaks before he shakes his head.
> 
> “Do you want to?” Chris asks in amusement and Yuuri shakes his head again, vehemently this time.
> 
> “No!” He blurts out, and Chris chuckles warmly.
> 
> “You sure?” Chris teases and Yuuri pulls his pants back up and zips his black jacket up.
> 
> “If it _is_ him, if he has my name on him too, I want to meet him as an equal,” Yuuri says stiffly and Chris takes a step back, holding his hands up. There’s a look on Chris’ face and Yuuri can tell what he’s thinking.
> 
> “Or, at least somewhat his equal,” Yuuri appeases and Chris sighs. Any skater worth their skates could relate.
> 
> “Don’t we all?”
> 
> “I’d appreciate it if you don’t tell him,” Yuuri mumbles and Chris smiles wryly before he nods.
> 
> “It’s _your_ Names, I wouldn’t dare,” Chris promises seriously.

 

(If Chris was less noble about keeping his friends’ secrets, it would have saved the two of them the trouble.)

(Yuuri didn’t know it then, but apparently, Chris has considered them friends for years.)

(Hell, they’ve seen each other’s Names, of course it’s reasonable for Chris to assume they’re friends.)

Now, fast forward 5 years, Yuuri doesn’t know what the fuck he was thinking.

Yes, he had finally managed to qualify for the Grand Prix Finals for the first time in his life at 23 years old with a gold at the NHK and a silver at Skate Canada but that wasn’t worth anything now, was it? It wasn’t worth anything when all he had right now was a dead dog, last place and a spot on the toilet to cry his eyes out. Don’t forget a small angry Russian vying for his retirement of course—who just _happens_ to be named Yuri, and Yuuri can feel the sole of his bruised foot twinge slightly at the thought that this teenager could be one of his Names. Yuuri’s heard of Names hating each other, but he never ever thought that he’d be one of those unlucky enough to have one of their Names actually detest them.

How could he even think that he’d be able to meet Viktor as an equal? In the 5 years that Yuuri’s been working just to get _in_ the Grand Prix Finals, Viktor’s been medalling gold consistently. How could someone like that have the name of someone like him on his perfect body?

Who can blame Yuuri when he tries to drown himself in champagne at the Banquet?

Yuuri wakes up the morning after the Banquet still in the clothes he was wearing the night before, minus the suit jacket. He groans loudly. Great. Now all he has is a dead dog, last place, a massive hangover and—someone’s phone number???

Yuuri stares blearily at the number scrawled on his arm. It’s probably a joke.

He washes it off.

\---

Fast forward a few months later, Viktor Nikiforov himself is in his family’s hot springs, buck naked minus the Name patches on several parts of his body.

Yuuri’s eyes flash over different parts of his body in an effort not to stare at something specific in particular but it doesn’t help. All it does is help him categorize the locations of where Viktor’s Names are—over his heart, under his collarbone on the left, his right ass cheek???—and before Yuuri knows it, he’s already memorized them by the time his eyes finally meet Viktor’s.

There’s an odd look in his eyes.

_“Yuuri, from now on, I’ll be your coach!”_

_\---_

“You’ve met one of your Names already, right?” Viktor asks him and Yuuri jolts in surprise. 

“ _Eto_ , yes, Phichit,” Yuuri says self consciously, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.

“Are you lovers?” Viktor asks casually and Yuuri squeaks, “No no no!” He says quickly, his face burning bright red.

“We’re just friends, just friends,” he says insistently and Viktor nods, surprisingly serious.

“Any ex lovers?” Viktor asks curiously and Yuuri stares at him.

“No comment,” he says and tries to make sure his voice is steady.

“Well, my first lover—” 

“Stop!”

“Do you want to see my Names?”

“NO!”

(Yuuri should have said yes.)

Yuuri didn’t _want_ to know Viktor’s Names. He wasn’t ready for the disappointment. It wasn’t like how it was with Chris because Yuuri didn’t care about his Names—not in the mean way, but it's just, he was indifferent, basically. But with Viktor, Yuuri still had a small bit of hope that maybe they matched, maybe Viktor had Yuuri’s name somewhere on his body ( _right pec, under collarbone or ass_ , Yuuri’s mind volunteers helpfully, as if Yuuri could ever forget where Viktor’s Names were.)

He doesn’t ask to see Viktor’s names. He pushes Viktor away instead. Viktor doesn’t volunteer again.

He’s extra careful with his own Names now. Yuuri’s never worn patches to cover his Names before if he didn’t have to. Only in public, only where people could see and take pictures and post online. Never with his family, not even with Phichit when they used to be roommates. Phichit knew all his Names already, same with his family and even Yuuko and Takeshi.

He covers his Names now, just like Viktor. Especially the Виктор on his hip. If Yuuri had a say, Viktor would never see it.

(Crazily enough, Viktor’s actually already seen all of his Names _except_ for the one on his hip.)

(Yes, even the Юрий on his foot.)

 ---

That Юрий comes to kick him in the back. Literally.

Yuri Plisetsky is all scowls and narrowed eyes but somehow? Yuuri’s beginning to think it’s all an act to make himself tougher than he seems.

When Yuri sees his Name on Yuuri’s foot, it’s an accident. It’s after Yuri teaches him the Quad Salchow, after practice ends with Viktor. His feet are aching and dying to be released from his skates, he can already feel the bruises and blisters forming. Viktor is gone somewhere and it’s just the two of them.

Yuuri doesn’t really think about it before he’s taking off his skates to relieve his feet. He doesn’t even think about the Name on his foot and the fact that the owner of it is possible the boy in front of him. He doesn’t put a patch over it unless he’s barefoot at home since it’s always covered by his socks and his shoes anyway.

It only hits him when he catches Yuri staring at his foot. Yuuri freezes, his hand clenching around his socks. Yuri looks up from where his gaze is, and oddly enough at the time (Yuuri knows the reason now), he doesn’t seem surprised.

The teen just glares at him.

“Better make sure you deserve to have my name on your body, pig.” 

Yuuri spots the 勇利 on Yuri’s right shoulder blade soon enough when they go to the waterfalls. He doesn’t mention it, he knows Yuri left his patch off on purpose.

Much later, when Viktor declares him the winner of the Onsen on Ice, Yuuri wonders if Yuri thinks he deserves the Юрий on the sole of his right foot now. 

(He wonders if he deserves the Виктор on his hip now too.)

_\---_

Yuuri doesn’t see his name on Viktor’s body until after the Cup of China, after Viktor kisses him on live television, after everything when they’re finally alone in Yuuri’s hotel room.

“Look, Yuuri,” Viktor says and Yuuri steals himself for what he can’t help but think Viktor’s going to say. [ _It didn’t mean anything, it was just a kiss, it was platonic.]_

They’re both sitting down on Yuuri’s bed, Yuuri nearer to the headboard. The space between them seemed huge after how closely Viktor pressed himself against Yuuri earlier.

“I just want us to be clear on what that kiss meant,” Viktor says carefully. Viktor is a careful man, his whole life and his public image very controlled. Viktor kissing him? That wasn’t Viktor, that was a spur of a moment decision in response to Yuuri’s quad flip. Yuuri is ready to hear a number of things, he’s _expecting_ it actually, he can’t help it. [ _It was a mistake, I wasn’t thinking, I shouldn’t have done it.]_

 _“_ I love you,” Viktor says, and the way he sees it is like a man who’s not used to saying it, who’s probably never said it before in his life. He’s so careful, still so careful and tentative and—

“I love you too,” Yuuri replies, without even thinking, but it doesn’t make it any less true because he does, he does, he does.

Viktor takes a deep breath, and Yuuri expects him to say something more. What he doesn’t expect is for Viktor to take of his shirt.

“What are you doing?” Yuuri squeaks. He’s seen Viktor shirtless a number of times, they’ve bathed in the onsen together too many times to count but—

Yuuri stares.

勇利

Black and bold against Viktor’s pale skin, right above where his heart is.

“Yuuri, even if you don’t have my name, even if _I_ didn’t have your name, I’d still love you, nothing would change that but I want you to see.”

He looks up to meet Viktor’s eyes and there’s something vulnerable there, something Yuuri hasn’t been privy to see before. If Yuuri bared his soul in front of Viktor earlier in the parking garage when he cried for the first time in front of Viktor, and later again during his Free Skate to show his love for Viktor like he never had before, this was Viktor baring himself for Yuuri, exposing a part of himself he obviously kept as a secret from the rest of the world.

Yuuri cries.

It’s too much, he’s overwhelmed. Performing the way he did earlier took so much out of him physically and emotionally and now, seeing his own name on Viktor’s body, Yuuri couldn’t deal with everything.

Viktor’s expression changes into shock, looking visibly uncomfortable and Yuuri laughs hysterically through his tears as he remembers Viktor’s earlier reaction at not knowing what to do in response to Yuuri’s tears in the parking garage.

“You can kiss me this time,” Yuuri says shakily, smiling through his tears and Viktor’s eyes widen.

“I, what?”

“I don’t think I have to say it,” Yuuri continues before he reaches down to his track pants. (Later, Viktor will tell him that he was shocked Yuuri was moving so fast and he thought Yuuri was removing his pants already.) “But I think you deserve to see.”

He pulls down the left side of his pants, revealing the Виктор, clear as day, black against his own skin.

Viktor’s breath hitches and before Yuuri even knows what’s happening, Viktor is lunging across the space in between them, closing it, and his lips are pressing against Yuuri’s.

All they do is kiss, exploring each other’s mouths and lips and necks. Yuuri is _insanely_ grateful he doesn’t have to tell Viktor he’s not ready yet for anything more. His heart is full and he feels complete in a way he never has before. With half a mind, he realizes he’s met three of his Names already and isn’t that crazy? What did Yuuri do to deserve this? 

Viktor spoons up from behind him and Yuuri shivers slightly when Viktor presses a sleepy kiss to the back of his neck, right where the พิชิต is. When he falls asleep, it’s to Viktor’s warm breaths fanning over the name.

 

\---

 

Yuuri sees Viktor’s names after, when they’re back home in Hasetsu. Yuuri follows Viktor into his bedroom without even asking, and Viktor looks at him with surprise before he beams, his heart shaped smile large on his face.

“Aww, Yuuri!” He squeals and envelops Yuuri into a warm embrace. 

Yuuri may have conveniently forgotten that Viktor sleeps naked.

(No, he didn’t.)

Viktor comes to him wearing the jinbei and there’s a faint blush on his cheeks. Yuuri doesn’t say anything and watches as Viktor takes it off, first his shirt and then slowly his pants. His heart races faster, and he can almost feel his heartbeat in his throat with every inch of bare skin that’s revealed to him. Viktor looks up at him and smiles slowly, dangerously, teasingly.

Yuuri’s gaze drops down from his eyes, down his face, down to his neck, until he sees the name below Viktor’s collarbone.

Thomas, his brain helps supply.

He sees his own name on Viktor’s skin and his body heats up embarrassingly.

Viktor turns around to place the clothes on table, folded delicately, just how Mari taught him. It’s then that Yuuri sees the name on his butt cheek.

Яков

Yuuri frowns slightly. Where has he seen that name before? Before he can examine it further, Viktor turns back to him and the position of his gaze leaves him staring at Viktor’s crotch. He looks up, face burning in embarrassment, and the look on Viktor’s face is amused.

“It’s only fair if I’m naked too,” Yuuri says to distract him and it works, Viktor’s jaw falls open. Yuuri doesn’t take his own clothes off in a show, not like Viktor. Yuuri is still only learning to express his sexuality on the ice, it’s still difficult for him to do it now despite being in the presence of the epitome of his sexual desires ever since he reached puberty.

They still don’t do anything more than kiss that night but this time, they kiss more than each other’s lips and necks. 

Viktor trails kisses over his left side, sweet and gentle as his lips pass over the ソラ. Yuuri kisses the Thomas under his left collarbone in reply when Viktor goes back up to kiss him on the lips. Their tongues slide against each other and fuck, if Yuuri had known kissing felt this good, maybe he would have done it earlier.

Viktor lips passes over the tiny Acel on his right pectoral, swiping at it slightly with his tongue and Yuuri can’t help but moan. He presses kisses over Yuuri’s skin in a downward trail and at once, Yuuri hopes and fears where his kisses are going. Viktor passes over his own name on Yuuri’s left hip and more importantly, his cock straining against his underwear because Yuuri had been too shy to take that off. Viktor chooses instead to press kisses down his right leg until he kisses the sole of Yuri’s right foot, right where the Юрий is.

And then finally, Viktor kisses the Виктор on his left hip and Yuuri sighs in pleasure.

They face each other and stare into each other’s eyes. It should be cliche, but it’s not, all Yuuri can feel is the tremendous amount of love he has for this man and he feels a sudden urge to skate again to show his love to the world. He doesn’t know how else to express how much he feels and how much he loves Viktor.

Later, Yuuri will find the courage to press his fingers against the curve of Viktor’s butt and Viktor will gasp against his lips in surprise.

"What’s the name on your butt?” Yuuri will ask shyly and Viktor will grin, bright and mischievous, before he giggles into Yuuri’s neck.

“Yakov,” Viktor will whisper and Yuuri’s hand will freeze from where it’s tracing the location of Viktor’s coach's name. His hand will fly away, towards Viktor’s back as if it’s been burnt. His face will burn bright red at the horror.

“If it wasn’t for him, I would have never skated, I would have never—” Here, Viktor’s voice will break and Yuuri’s hold on Viktor will tighten instinctively.

“I would have never had anyone I could call as a father,” Viktor will continue and Yuuri will let out a painful, shuddering breath.

“I love you,” he'll say, because it feels right at that moment and Viktor will laugh wetly.

“I love you too.”

\---

 Yuuri gets a hint of why exactly he has Юрий on his foot when just moments after the Rostelecom Cup, Yuri comes to him with katsudon pirozhki by kicking him (again).

“There you are, katsudon. You made me look for you.”

“Oh, Yurio…” he says dimly as he looks up at the teenager from the snow where he’s laying on.

“What was that earlier?” Yuri grumbles, “Stop creeping me out! And what was that free skate, anyway? You can make the excuse that you couldn’t do your best because Viktor wasn’t there, but I was in top form and earned a new personal best, only to lose to JJ again!”

Yuri points at him, looking more disgruntled than he should be and Yuuri smiles slightly, “You have no right to feel more down than me, katsudon!” Surprisingly, yes, it actually does make Yuuri feel better.

When Yuri tosses him a paper bag with katsudon pirozhki, Yuuri feels warm inside. It’s the same feeling he got when Phichit made him katsudon that first time in Detroit. Yuuri thinks it’s the first time Yuri actually smiles at him willingly and Yuuri stores that smile in his heart without even thinking.

 ---

“I’m so happy the two of you finally got together,” Chris purrs and Yuuri wrinkles his nose at him in confusion. “I’ve been waiting so long for you guys to realize you had your Names on each other’s body.”

Viktor laughs easily, still obviously giddy from the rings earlier and Yuuri blushes. “Ah well, we got there eventually, didn’t we,” Viktor says playfully as he looks at Yuuri to smile at him. Yuuri smiles back dopily. 

The people around them chat easily, Minako and Mari obviously in awe at being in the presence of the figure skaters. When Phichit makes a comment about how everyone probably knows Chris’ Names, it finally sinks in.

“Wait, so,” Yuuri blurts out and both Viktor and Chris turn to look at him. “This whole time, you knew we had each other’s names?” He asks Chris, slightly aghast and Chris only blinks at him. Viktor’s eyes widen in realization and he turns to give Chris a betrayed a look but Chris doesn’t even look fazed.

"You told me not to tell him,” Chris says easily in response and shrugs. He gives Viktor a side eye and smiles teasingly, “Plus, Viktor made me sign a NDA about his Names, so there’s that.”

Phichit snorts at that and Yuuri gapes unabashedly.

“NDA?” They say at the same time and Viktor shrugs, flashing them both a brilliant heart-shaped smile.

“Can you blame me? I was barely a teen when people started pretending they had my Names. I just wanted to prevent myself from the heartbreak.” Viktor says casually before his eyes suddenly narrow and zero in on Yuuri. “Besides, you made Chris promise to keep yours a secret too.”

“Viktor asked me about your Names after the Banquet, you know. I don’t need an NDA from you too, to keep your secret,” Chris drawls and Yuuri frowns.

"What?” he turns to Viktor, drawing his eyebrows down together as Viktor drinks from his mug of beer, “Why would you ask Chris about my Names after the Banquet? I couldn’t even talk to you.”

Viktor spits out his drink and turns to him with a flabbergasted expression, “Yuuri, you don’t remember?” he asks, voice aghast and eyes narrowed.

“What?” Yuuri asks, tensing slightly. 

Chris chuckles warmly, his head resting easily on his hand as he tilts his head to give Yuuri an amused smile. “Yuri, you got drunk on champagne and started dancing. Everyone saw it.”

“Huh?!?” Yuuri chokes out, all the blood draining out of his face.

“It was disgusting,” Yuri sneers.

“I have pictures actually,” Chris says cheerfully, and Yuuri makes a confused noise.

It’s only later when they get back to the hotel and Yuuri and Viktor are cuddling in their bed that Yuuri turns toward Viktor, his eyes wide.

“Why did it take us so long?” He asks, voice filled with disbelief and Viktor blinks at him.

“I tried! I asked if you wanted to see my Names and you said no!” Viktor says, his voice full of amusement. “The whole time, I thought you were embarrassed about the Banquet so I just didn’t say anything and I didn’t want to be rude and ask about your Names.”

Yuuri sighs before he places a tender kiss on Viktor’s chest, right where his name is.

“If I had found out about it earlier, I probably wouldn’t have reacted as well as I did,” Yuuri admits quietly, “I think my anxiety and insecurity would have been too loud.” He looks up to meet Viktor’s eye, looking vaguely ashamed.

Viktor smiles down at him softly, taking away all the shame in Yuuri’s heart.

“Yuuri, I may be only one among many who have helped you to become who you are, but I'm so so thankful and honored to be one your Names." 

Yuuri’s heart thudded in his chest, his lips curling up into an uncontrollable smile and tears pricking at the corner of his eyes.

Everything was perfect.

(Everything in fact, was not.)

“Why doesn’t he understand?” Yuuri’s voice breaks as he says this and Phichit makes a frustrated noise on the other end of the phone.

“Fuck, okay, tell me where you are.” He commands, his tone of voice no-nonsense and Yuuri can’t help but make a confused noise.

“What? I’m in our hotel room, Viktor left to think, I—what?”

“Be there in 5!” Phichit says cheerfully and hangs up.

Phichit is there in 4.

Yuuri lets himself relax in Phichit’s embrace.

“Why are you here? I’m sorry, I don’t want to burden you before the Free Program,” Yuuri mutters and Phichit sighs as he pats Yuuri’s head.

“Look, Yuuri,” he says, his tone of voice heavy with meaning. “You may have found your one true love but, I’m still one of your Names, okay? I _want_ to be here for you, I’m not burdened at all by being here.”

Yuuri crumples. He lets himself cry.

“If he stays as my coach, I’m _killing_ him as a competitive figure skater and I can’t do that Phichit! He called me _selfish_ , but I’m thinking about him!” Yuuri sobs out and Phichit doesn’t say anything, just listens as Yuuri tells him everything he’s been thinking, everything he’s been keeping inside of himself and holding back.

This is what Yuuri’s needed, and he didn’t even think he needed it, not once he had Viktor already. But see, Phichit and Viktor (and Yuri, but Yuuri didn’t want to think about the 15 year old right now) were very different people and Yuuri realizes that now, realizes he needs them in his life in different ways precisely because they themselves are unique individuals.

Yes, Yuuri could cry in Viktor’s arms but Viktor was always a doer, he showed his love through his actions and always offered to do something for Yuuri to take away his pain and anxiety as if his pain and anxiety was something you could throw things at until it went away. And Yuuri loved that about him, he really did, he appreciated Viktor’s need to help him but—

Sometimes, all Yuuri wants and needs is this. Someone to lean on and listen to him without saying anything, without offering unwanted advice and just _being there_ for him as a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear. Maybe Viktor would never be that person and that was okay. Maybe Phichit could _teach_ Viktor to just be there for him, to just stay close to him at times like this and that was okay too.

Yes, Phichit could have never inspired him to keep skating the way Viktor did, never could have brought him back to the ice again and that was okay. Phichit could never understand the messages and the story in Yuuri’s skating, not like how Viktor always understood the language of skating like he did, and that was okay.

During the Free program later, when Yuri beats him to gold by less than a point, Yuuri thinks he understands now too why Yuri and he have each other’s names on their body.

"I guess it's not so bad having your name," Yuri grumbles after the awarding and Yuuri grins. It means more to him than he'll let on.

Yuuri would have felt content with that gold medal. Yuri taking that away from him only serves to drive him back into competitive figure skating. And when Viktor asks him to win 5 more gold medals? It’s just the cherry on top.

Everyone knows that people have multiple Names but it’s only now that Yuuri really understands why. 

\--- 

After everything, Yuuri finds himself in St. Petersburg. Things aren’t perfect. He’s far from perfect, and Viktor, his idol, his dream, is far from perfect too. But somehow, things are good.

He doesn’t know if he’ll ever meet ソラ or Acel, and he wonders slightly, what he needs from them. He doesn’t think about it that often, not when Phichit, Yuri and Viktor keep him in tact the way they do now.

He finds that it doesn’t matter.

“You could have been a number of things for me,” Yuuri says softly. “You could have stayed my idol, you’ve already touched my life so much before we even met. You could have stayed as my coach, someone to push me to become better and perform like never before.” He takes a deep breath and looks into Viktor’s clear blue eyes. He thinks his soon-to-be-husband is crying. He laughs slightly.

“But we choose to love each other in this way, and I think it’s made us better. Fate may have chosen for you to be in my life and be one of my Names, but I want you to know that I’m choosing to love you as my husband and to love you like no one has before for as long as I live.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t know if it’s obvious, but my favorite characters are Phichit and Chris.
> 
> Chris’ Names well, fandom’s been referring to Mystery Man as Masumi, and I’m personally fond of the name Francis (see: [green, yellow, red](http://archiveofourown.org/series/619360)).
> 
> My HC for Yurio was that he was angry with Yuuri performing the way he did because he had Yuuri’s Name and he expected more.
> 
> Man, anyway, the point of this story was to show that people are multifaceted individuals and social beings. You can not make your SO your world because despite how much you love them, they can’t fulfill all your needs. I’m not saying anything about polygamous relationships and cheating, because I’m not talking about sexual needs. I’m just saying that sometimes, you might need say, a brother or a father, and a boyfriend can’t be that for you.
> 
> Check out my other YOI fics <3
> 
> Follow me @ [Tumblr](https://gia-comeatme.tumblr.com) if ur into Chris and want fic updates. It's a secondary blog but I'll follow u back w my main ;)


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